


You've Got (Black)Mail

by Gobayern16



Series: Star Wars Whumptober 2020 [17]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Blackmail, Established Relationship, Podfic Welcome, Whump, Whumptober 2020, brothers helping brothers, implied happy ending, secret agent AU, talking in code
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:54:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27065968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gobayern16/pseuds/Gobayern16
Summary: For Fox to say Quinlan got lucky when they don’t believe in luck? For him to use that code phrase in a public meeting instead of a more direct approach? Something is terribly wrong.
Relationships: CC-1010 | Fox & CC-8826 | Neyo, CC-1010 | Fox/Quinlan Vos
Series: Star Wars Whumptober 2020 [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948018
Comments: 5
Kudos: 104





	You've Got (Black)Mail

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Whumptober Prompt #17: I did not see that coming - Blackmail  
> Thank you to the wonderful RogueLadyVader for beta-ing!

Neyo idly spins a pen between his fingers, watching the other agents and handlers file into the room. It was time for the bi-weekly Mission Update Meeting, and the room was emptier than usual, many agents currently on missions around Coruscant City.

_ Man, I hope Chief Windu has a mission for me _ , Neyo thinks.  _ I am  _ **_not_ ** _ cut out for being a desk jockey. I don’t know how Fox does it.  _ Speaking of, said brother chooses that moment to enter the room. Neyo goes to wave him over but Fox never even looks at him.

Neyo frowns, straightening in his seat, pen stilling. Fox never ignores him during these meetings, usually sits right beside him. Alarm bells start ringing when he gets a good look at him.

Dark bags under his eyes, pale, pinched face, deep stress lines. To put it nicely, his younger brother looks like shit.

Neyo rapidly cycles through what he knows of Fox’s current assignment even as he tries to catch Fox’s attention. He’s the handler for his boyfriend’s current undercover mission, but this isn’t the first time they’ve worked together since starting to date. And if something happened, Neyo would have known about it before the bi-weekly meeting.

_ If not his current mission, then what?  _ Before Neyo can move seats to pester Fox and alleviate his own worry, Chief Windu calls the meeting to order.

Neyo barely listens to the other handlers giving updates, focusing entirely on Fox’s tense frame. He unconsciously holds his breath when it’s Fox’s turn to report.

Fox stands, hands clasped tightly behind him.

“Agent Vos has managed to get into Palpatine’s good graces.” His eyes flick to Neyo, who’s taken aback at the fear and desperation there. “He got lucky and has been invited to several high profile meetings.” Neyo frowns. The way Fox is so pointedly not looking at him, he’s clearly trying to convey some kind of message. But what?

All at once, Fox’s phrasing clicks in Neyo’s mind and he forces himself not to react.

Back when Neyo and Fox had worked their first mission together, Fox had been adamant about establishing a code for if Neyo couldn’t talk freely. There had been a haunted look in Fox’s eye, a catch in his throat, and Neyo hadn’t hesitated in agreeing.

For Fox to say Quinlan got lucky when they don’t believe in luck? For him to use that code phrase in a public meeting instead of a more direct approach? Something is terribly wrong.

Neyo nods to Fox, a subtle  _ message received _ , and his brother sags slightly, shoulders relaxing a fraction.

Neyo spends the rest of the meeting planning his discussion with Fox, reviewing all their old codes. He’s not even mad when Chief Windu informs him he’s still on desk duty.

He hurries after Fox when the meeting ends, catching him with a hand on his elbow.

“Let’s get coffee before we go back to work.” He smiles uncertainly at Fox, unsure if the break room is too public.

“Sure. But I’ll have tea instead.”

_ Okay, tea instead of coffee. So we can talk but gotta be careful,  _ Neyo thinks, giving Fox a short nod.

They get their beverages in silence, moving to an open table in the corner of the break room. Neyo smiles faintly at Fox’s slight grimace; he never was a tea drinker.

“So,” Neyo taps a finger on the table. “Quinlan got lucky?”  _ Quinlan got made? _

“Yeah.” Fox exhales heavily. “Palpatine invited him to dinner at La Republica. Quinlan asked me to send him extra funds for a dapper suit.” Fox pauses, gives Neyo time to parse his words.

_ Okay, _ Neyo tells himself.  _ La Republica means Quinlan is Palpatine’s prisoner. And extra funds… Shit, Palpatine’s blackmailing Fox? _

Neyo lifts his head to meet Fox’s gaze, sees his own horror and fear reflected there. He bites his lip.

“Is this… Is this going as well as Coronet City?”

Fox nods, face pale. Neyo swears under his breath. Across from him, Fox trembles minutely. Neyo grabs his hand, rubs his thumb across Fox’s knuckles.

“Hey,” he says softly. “I’ll update Colt and Gree on Quinlan’s mission. And maybe Cody too.” He shakes Fox’s hand lightly, making sure he has Fox’s full attention.

“We’ll make sure Quinlan’s mission is a success.” Neyo injects as much confidence as he can into the statement.  _ We’ll make sure Quinlan comes home in one piece. _

Fox smiles shakily, a small little thing.

“Thanks, Neyo.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos greatly appreciated. :)
> 
> **Permissions: **All my works, including this one, can be translated and podficced without first asking my express permission. I ask only that you credit me as the original author and provide a link back to the original work. For anything else, please ask first. Thanks.****


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